Urban Wildlife

There is a Red tail Hawk in my neighborhood!
I know there is plenty of food. Pigeons galore and lots of mice. They adored my compost pile when I had one. I was beginning to wonder why all the neighborhood cats kept hanging out in my backyard.
One mouse was cute but I witnessed at least 5 one day picking through my compost pile. That was the end of that. Now, I just save my coffee grounds and use them to add to the soil. My garden seems to like coffee as much as I do.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_wildlife

When I went to run an errand for a client. I found a very healthy looking Roadrunner in the parking lot. According to a recent report. Roadrunners are not as abundant as they used to be. Well, I have been seeing a lot and they're skirting the edges of the urban jungle and then the one in the parking lot. Nature seems to find a way. Adapt or die!
Here in Arizona, there is always an abundance of coyotes. I love how they seem so comfortable and at home in almost any environment. They are wiley creatures.

Even though I live in an urban environment. I want to create a small oasis that might encourage smaller wildlife to hang out. Maybe my pond will attract dragonflies and frogs. We'll see.

http://yuwr.org/

I don't see wildlife as a nuisance, unless it's pigeons crapping all over my car. I have covered parking so there goes that.
I love listening to the birds sing their spring time "hey baby!" songs.

I grew up in the country and was used to wildlife all over the place. I really enjoy the feeling of being a part of something more than the human condition. I like my furred, feathered and scaled neighbors.

I have discovered a plethora of sited dedicated to urban wildlife. The United Kingdom seems very progressive in the way they live in harmony, or try to with their wildlife. Maybe because they've had more practice. Maybe, because hedgehogs are so darned cute!
Peregrine falcons nest and feed in cities. Taking advantage of the tall buildings since they're the closets things to cliffs. Pigeons are everywhere.

With wild environments shrinking. I think it's only polite to invite the wildlife into our world.
Adapt or die.

Urban pond!

I love my tiny, backyard!
My garden is flourishing and I'm getting Spring fever.
Yes, I know it's the end of January but this is Tucson and Spring comes mighty early here. It's been raining and the soil smells so wonderful!
A friend came over one night and while conversing in the backyard. I had an epiphany. I need a small pond with plants and minnows.
It's going to be lovely! I've done the research and can do it on the cheap.

http://www.littlecountryvillage.com/Garden-Ponds/

By Summer, my yard will be a cool, colorful place to meditate, BBQ, visit and hang my laundry.
Oh, and there will be shade cloth to keep the blazing sun from scorching everything. It will be an oasis. So what if it's small? Bigger isn't necessarily better.

Isn't it about time we all started enjoying simpler, smaller pleasures?

Hope and change!

"The Bringer of Good News" is the name of this piece and I couldn't think of anything better to use as a picture.
We have a new president! A well spoken, thoughtful, educated, kind and COOL! man.
My son and I watched History being made today along with millions of other, hopeful souls. The amount of people who braved freezing temperatures was stunning. This was not just a cause for celebration in this country, no. The whole world is rejoicing!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090120/ap_on_re_eu/obama_world_celebrations

Hope is a wonderful thing. It keeps you going when you have nothing else. I speak from experience. To see so many people coming together in hope was a beautiful thing. Obama's speech was inspiring, unifying and had just enough tough love interjected to keep it from rotting one's teeth.
It IS time to look past our differences and recognize our similarities.

I love Obama's call for service. It has been about Me, Me and more Me for too long.
There are so many ways to serve others.
http://www.ourpublicservice.org/OPS/

http://www.peacecorps.gov/

http://www.nationalservice.org/

Just for starters.

I am just so full of hope right now. The oil and gas industries were blocked from buying land in Red Rocks. Things are already changing, for the better!
I invite you to join the growing number of Hope and Change junkies.

http://www.ted.com/
It's going to be fashionable to be green and willing to work with others to make things better.

Sleep, perchance to dream?

I, like a lot of people are tired. Sleep deprivation is rampant in this country. It's a go, go go! society. Time is money and sleep is seen as lost wages.
Do you know sleep deprivation has its own web site?
http://www.sleep-deprivation.com/
How sad is that?

I read several, great articles in Utne magazine about this problem and how sleep deprivation and the general, lack of slowing down and resting. Seems to be a big part in why we, as humans seems to be so.. messed up. For lack of a better term.
Technology enables us to run full tilt 24/7. That means constant consuming, constant polluting.
We have night vision goggle so we can continue to wage war at night.

Lack of sleep has more disadvantages that we might think.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/HEALTHbeat_011806.htm
It's not good for us! Sleep is good and it's good for us.
Try the Sheep Dash to test yourself. It's fun and educational. Watch out!
http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleeping.htm

Now, This information hit me like a slap in the face. I have been working like a maniac at my "regular" job. Coming home and trying to keep house, cook and home school my son. Oh, then there's the artwork, blogging and storytelling. Ahhhh!
Sleep is good, healing, and dreaming has always been something I'm very good at. It fuels my creativity and elevates my mood. Dreams also give me answers to questions and sometimes, spiritual kicks in the ass.
We all need to slow down and pause.
Sometimes, doing nothing is the best option.
It give us time to ponder, relax, renew, regroup and let our souls heal.
Why does our society look down on down time?
I feel like I have to give myself permission to just sit and catch up on my reading or just meditate in my garden. I took today off from everything except this blog.
I slept in, allowed myself to dream and ponder in the early morning's light. For some reason, I find that I think best lying down. Is it blood flow or is it the art of being lazy?

Look at any documentary on primitive cultures. You'll see a lot of sitting, resting and simple chores. Happy children being taught and old people resting and sharing wisdom.
We have more conveniences but less time to relax. What is wrong with this picture?

I was trying to find something on culture and relaxation. What I found was a mixture of travel sites and something that sounded delightful
Relaxation and culture parties.
Hmmm.. Today, after the memorial I stayed after all the other guests left. The family members and I ate fine chocolates, drank coffee and talked about the wonderful woman we all had known and loved. I had a stray thought about having a chocolate tasting party with coffee and good conversation. It struck me as a delicious idea. I love the idea of people gathering together for nothing more than relaxation and good times.
No networking or schmoozing, just people talking, telling stories and relaxing. We need to do more NOTHING!
Read up on Zen Buddhism.
I discovered this little delight.
http://www.odemagazine.com/exchange/4243/zen_and_the_art_of_drinking_beer

I'll leave you with that little gem and wish you good dreaming.

2009 is going to be a wonderful year!

Why?
Because I said so!
I don't know about you but last year was one of the worst on record for me.
I want things to change.. NOW!
I'm tired of watching and reading the news and seeing people kill their neighbors "In the name of God."
What kind of God would want you to kill? I mean, weren't we all created in His/Her/Its image? I think it would be disrespectful to kill anyone in the name of their creator.
DUH!
Some of the most hateful people I have met and read about are people claiming to be "Holy men". If it wasn't so sad I'd laugh.
I'm glad my Divine Creator is kind, forgiving and has a great sense of humor. Sometimes I don't get the joke but then, I'm only human and still learning.

Happy thoughts!
Community!

Etymology:

Middle English comunete, from Anglo-French communité, from Latin communitat-, communitas, from communis

Date:

14th century

1: a unified body of individuals: as a: state , commonwealth b: the people with common interests living in a particular area ; broadly : the area itself community> c: an interacting population of various kinds of individuals (as species) in a common location d: a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society community of retired persons> e: a group linked by a common policy f: a body of persons or nations having a common history or common social, economic, and political interests community> g: a body of persons of common and especially professional interests scattered through a larger society community> 2: society at large3 a: joint ownership or participation <community of goods> b: common character

Break that down to "neighbor".
We all have a community that we belong to, maybe even a few. I float from one circle of friends to another and then there's extended family, work associates and have you ever notice how friendly people are when you're waiting in line for a concert?
That's community, even if it's just temporary.
Now we have online communities! People who have never met face to face but share so much in common.
This world has gotten very small and I can't understand the "Us and Them" mentality anymore.
They ARE us. We all want the same things pretty much. To live, raise our families, dream, strive for better things.

Why are some humans so damned greedy? They have to have more than they need. Even if it means letting others starve and die horribly. What is wrong with some people!?

I'd like to know the answer to that question as well.
We all need to take stock in our own lives and ask some serious questions. Do I really need that? Will is harm someone or take a basic need from someone if I have it?
I know meat is bad on multiple levels but I am a carnivore and my body can't function on a vegetarian diet. I've tried, honest!

I'm trying to teach my son to be a conscious consumer. To ask himself if he really needs what he wants. It is made well and will it last? We live in a disposable society and that is killing us.
Look at China. How many people have jobs making cheap, plastic crap that will end up in a landfill within the month is not sooner?

I'm wandering off the subject again... I think.

Community. How do we achieve it on a global scale?
Start locally. It's easy.

http://www.i-neighbors.org/index.php?gclid=CMDHst609ZcCFQ7aDAodfz8oBw

Do you know your next door neighbor? Have you participated in a bloc party? Ever think about throwing one?
Look in your local paper and find something that interests you. Get involved, volunteer.

You want to go all "hippy" and join a commune? I've looked into it. Believe it or not. I'm a little too fringe for most communities. I'm better off on the fringe of the fringe.

http://www.ic.org/

But I think it's a good start to the New year. Be friendlier. Being a bully isn't as cool as some might want you to think it is.

Now, play nice kids!

And the Golden Monkey Wrench goes to?

Tim DeChristopher!
What nerve! How can that man walk with those HUGE balls!?
No one was hurt and no property was damaged.
God love him for taking a stand and doing something we might think impossible.
Disrupting big business, land grabbing hyenas.
I have a new hero and so do a lot of other people.

http://oneutah.org/2008/12/20/why-i-disrupted-a-fraudulent-auction/

http://www.backpacker.com/blogs/627

We need more people like this and I'm hoping that the change in Washington will embolden us all.


Now, I'd like to open up a discussion about marijuana/hemp.
Why is it illegal? Is it because people who enjoy it are usually pacifists who like to bake brownies and hang out at peace rallies? Or is it because it's an ancient, medicinal herb that can take care of a lot of ills and can't be patented? Oh, dear.. it might cut into the profits of the pharmaceutical industry. We can't have that!

Alright, flippant rant aside. Lets get down to business.
Here in Tucson, I read an article.. ok, I skimmed it.
Some big law enforcement guy suggested that marijuana be legalized for the soul purpose of cutting into the profits of Mexican drug cartels. Smugglers are getting very resourceful and the cartels are becoming rather brazen. Police officers and officials are being threatened and killed.
Over something we could all be growing in out back yards if the government wasn't so stupid!
Does anyone remember what good prohibition did? Oh, yeah, it made insane profits for organized crime. Nothing is sweeter than forbidden fruit.

Now, the smokable stuff aside. Lets talk about industrial hemp.

http://www.votehemp.com/index.html

http://www.thehia.org/

Oh, and did you know hemp seed is wildly nutritious? Not to mention pretty damned tasty.

http://www.healing-source.com/

Let's see. As a fiber, hemp makes a wonderfully durable fabric, rope, paper and is an annual. That means it's very sustainable. Save the trees!
The seeds are full of tasty goodness. The oil can be used for bio fuels and cooking.
Oh, and let's not forget the medicinal qualities.
WOW! All this from a simple, disease resistant, drought tolerant, annual plant.

Uh.. why is it illegal again?

If I'm not getting through then try this.

http://www.hemp.co.uk/

It's time to use out brains and stop the propaganda.

http://www.reefermadness.org/propaganda/prop.html

Sustaining..myself

k
I have always been and will always be a solitary practitioner.

When I was 16, I wanted to be a hermit because I thought all people were cruel and stupid.
But being a human makes me crave companionship. So I dreamed of a cabin in the forest where I was self sustaining with a garden, chickens and goats. Alright, so I needed to go into town once in a while to trade for a few things. Get my fix of human company and news before heading back to the wild.

"I know God promises not to give me more than I can handle. I just wish he didn't trust me so much."--Mother Teresa--


Life can be a challenge.
This has been a rough year, for me at least.

This past week put me on notice. I have graduated from a teacher's guidance.
It stung a little bit to be shoved out of the nest but tough love is still love.

I was forced to take stock of myself which can be a very scary thing. My dream world never fails me.

In the dream, I learned how to fly using simple tools. A basket I could sit in, a sage bundle and a large cloth to catch the smoke. It was like making smoke signals but I flew on the smoke.
I was so excited! I had to find my shaman friend and show her how to do it. But every time I tried to go to her, the magic failed me and I called her on the phone. Modern magic is cool too.
She told me that I needed to teach this skill to other people first. When I tried, I couldn't seem to explain myself and the simple technique. People laughed and called me crazy. I began to cry.

Sidebar: I might be good at written communications but I sometimes wonder if I'm speaking in tongues. I try to express myself in words but what I think is a good explanation comes out as something completely different than intended and people get upset with me. I used to dream of being a mute too. My loose cannon mouth can do a lot of damage when I don't want it to.

Back to the dream. There I am, crying and feeling like a failure when someone I have come to love very deeply appears. He makes the mean people go away and I explain what I was trying to teach them. They had broken my basket, tore my cloth and stomped on my sage bundle.
My very dear, friend helps me find another "basket" which turns out to be a large, cardboard box that fits the two of us. I fix the sage bundle as he goes and finds another cloth. The new one is a beautiful, batik sarong.
I teach him how to fly and he has no trouble understanding my directions. In fact, he begins to finish my sentences and we both work the magic and fly to a deserted house where we light a fire and sit. Watching the stars and roasting marshmallows.

Now, I have had a while to chew on this dream and think about its meaning.
What I got was another story.

When I was very young, I had spirit guides who were teaching me. What plants were good to eat and how to speak to animals. The world was a magical place and I danced though it joyfully.

Something terrible happened to me and my spirit was shattered. I could no longer hear my guides though I could still speak to certain animals. It has been a long journey. Picking up the shards and slowly putting myself back together, spiritually. There are still a few cracks and chips but I'm dancing along the path. Alone most of the time but I hook up with fellow travelers every now and again and we share stories.

It's all good.